Advance care planning under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 in primary care

The past two decades have seen substantial change in the way medicine is practised in the UK, with a decisive shift away from paternalistic medicine. This has involved an increasing emphasis on the rights, views, and choices of patients, and on respect for their autonomy in decision making with regards to their health care. At the same time, however, has come the recognition that there are situations where patients are unable to make decisions for themselves; that is, where they lack capacity.